Principal's Message
Good afternoon parents and carers,
Term 3, 2022. That's a wrap!
What a fortnight of events to wind up the term. The long awaited P&F Spring Fair, the K-6 Concert, two overnight excursions, a visit from members of Immaculata Community, a Cultural Immersion Day with St Johns College Dubbo and Xavier College Wagga Wagga to name just a few. Busy times! I know that both students and staff are looking forward to Friday afternoon for a long awaited rest to recharge their batteries for yet another exciting term of learning in Term 4. I read somewhere this week that there is less than 100 sleeps until Christmas! Where has the time gone? The past fortnight (and to a greater extent, term 3) has provided our students with so many learning and social engagement opportunities that have been so greatly missed over the past two years. The saying that you don't really appreciate what you had until it's gone, is so true. Events such as the Concert, Spring Fair and excursions are such an important aspect of any learning agenda, particularly in respect of the positive social, emotional and wellbeing impact they have on our students, and our families (by extension).
I would like to take the opportunity to thank a number of people and working parties for their support with the many events that have taken place over the past fortnight. Firstly, a very big thank you to Miss Ellie Johnson and her concert support team for their relentless hard work and dedication to ensure our students (and our families) experienced a truly wonderful concert. Unfortunately, I was only able to watch from my lounge room due to illness, however, if what I saw FaceTimed onto my TV was anything to go on, the Concert was something to be truly celebrated. What an amazing couple of nights! Thank you to all the Leaders of Learning for their dedication and energy to continue to practice when the opportunity presented itself. A number of walkers in Coonabarabran were provided with an insight into the concert when Miss Arthur and Mrs Drogemuller had the students perform a quick rehearsal while on the Year 6 excursion to Canberra. But most of all thank you to all the students for their commitment to practices and the energy they showed in each of the three concerts. Congratulations to you all, I was so impressed!
A big thank you to Scott Antees and all the hard working and dedicated members of the St Philomena's P&F for their commitment to ensuring our community would have the opportunity to once again (after 2 years) come together for the Spring Fair. It was incredible to see so many helpers on the Saturday afternoon as the final preparations were done to ensure the fair would be ready for action come 10:30am Sunday. Although the final numbers (money) are still being counted, and double checked, the early indications is that it was an extremely successful event financially for the school, not to mention a truly wonderful social opportunity for our school community. Thank you to all our parents, students and staff for getting behind such an important event for the school.
With the commencement of our school holidays only hours away, I pray that all our families take the opportunity (where they can) to be together over the break and enjoying each others company. If you are travelling, travel safe and I look forward to seeing everyone back for Term 4, ready for the final weeks of learning for the 2022 academic school year.
God bless and go gently,
Jamie McDowall
Principal